And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand:

MARK 7:14KJV
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Mark 7:14 (KJV)

What does Mark 7:14 mean?

Mark 7:14 shows Jesus calling the crowd to him and urging everyone to listen carefully and truly understand what he is about to say. The verse highlights the importance of paying close attention to Jesus’ teaching, signaling that what follows is something all should grasp.

In this scene, Jesus is speaking to a large group of people after a discussion with religious leaders about traditions and what makes someone “unclean.” By calling everyone together and stressing both hearing (“Hearken unto me”) and understanding, Jesus is preparing his listeners for a teaching that challenges common beliefs of the time.

The Greek behind Mark 7:14

  • ἀκούετε (akouete, “Hearken”): This Greek word means not just to hear sounds, but to listen with intention and focus. Jesus is asking for more than casual attention; he wants the crowd to take his words seriously.
  • συνίετε (suniete, “understand”): This word means to put things together or grasp the meaning. Jesus is urging the crowd not just to hear, but to process and comprehend what he is about to teach.

Why Mark 7:14 matters

  • Mark 7:14 makes it clear that Jesus’ next words are important for everyone, not just his closest followers or the religious experts.
  • The verse sets the stage for a teaching that will go against traditional ideas about purity, showing that Jesus wants his audience to think deeply and not just accept surface-level rules.
  • By emphasizing both hearing and understanding, Mark 7:14 highlights that true learning from Jesus involves both attention and thoughtful reflection.

Where else these words appear

“understand” Greek G4920 · used in 25 verses

  • Matthew 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
  • Matthew 17:13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.
  • Luke 24:45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

“called” Greek G4341 · used in 30 verses

  • Matthew 10:1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
  • Mark 8:1 In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them,
  • Acts 5:40 And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.